Britney Spears ended 2011 on a high note, what with the success of her Femme Fatale mega-tour and a proposal from longtime boyfriend Jason Trawick in December. In an upcoming issue of V Magazine, the superstar discusses her tour and poses with her team of professionals, giving them glowing reviews as "her second family."

Apparently, however, it's not Spears's goodwill that is standing out in this particular article. A commentary in the Daily Mail takes the accompanying photo into scrutiny, remarking on how quickly Spears seems to have slimmed down for this particular shoot.

"She has clearly been working out regularly in an effort to achieve the healthy and lean look," the Daily Mail notes judiciously.

Fans, on the other hand, are less polite about the matter, with an overwhelming amount of comments claiming that the shot clearly has been tampered with. A sampling: "Photoshopped a dillion!" "That's her head on someone else's body," "Even Ray Charles can see the terrible 'Cut and Paste' job that was done on Britney."

Spears has been looking fairly trim these days, so it's not as if the V shot is a tremendous diversion from her usual look--at least, weightwise. The photo does have an odd look to it, though. Compare for yourselves--here's Spears in September, just a short while after the V shoot was reported to have taken place.

V had no comment at the time this blog was written as to whether or not the photo had been altered. The issue with Spears will hit newsstands Thursday. To view more photos, visit the magazine's site.

What do you think? Is this photo simply Spears at her slimmest, or do you agree that it's a work of Photoshop art?

I mean, yeah, they slimmed down her waist and hips quite a bit, but it's not exactly a secret that considerable work is done to any photo of Britney. Why are these commenters acting like it's unexpected?

I mean, yeah, they slimmed down her waist and hips quite a bit, but it's not exactly a secret that considerable work is done to any photo of Britney. Why are these commenters acting like it's unexpected?

I'm more concerned with her face. It looks like they did...something to it.

I mean, yeah, they slimmed down her waist and hips quite a bit, but it's not exactly a secret that considerable work is done to any photo of Britney. Why are these commenters acting like it's unexpected?

All of this. And the floating head reminds me of her last Cosmo shoot.